Personalized toothbrushes

ABSTRACT

An individualized toothbrush including a brush portion, a handle portion, and a display formed on the handle portion.

The following U.S. Patents are believed to represent the current stateof the art:

-   -   6,397,424 and 6,064,425.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide novel toothbrushes which provideuser identification.

There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention an individualized toothbrush including a brushportion, a handle portion, and a display formed on the handle portion.Preferably, the display displays characters. Additionally, thecharacters are displayed so as to define identification. Alternativelyor additionally, the identification is a name.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present inventionthe display is an electronic display. Alternatively, the handle portionhas a recess formed within and the characters are displayed in therecess. Additionally, the display includes at least one control button.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present inventionthe handle portion is a removable handle portion. Preferably, thetoothbrush includes a snap fastener to interconnect the removable handleportion to the toothbrush.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully fromthe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an individualized toothbrush kit, constructedand operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention in respective partially assembled and fully assembledoperative orientations;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an individualized toothbrush assembly,constructed and operative in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention in respective dis-assembled andassembled operative orientations;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an individualized toothbrush assembly,constructed and operative in accordance with still another preferredembodiment of the present invention in respective dis-assembled andassembled operative orientations;

FIG. 4 illustrates an individualized toothbrush constructed andoperative in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates an individualized toothbrush constructed andoperative in accordance with a still further preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which illustrate anindividualized toothbrush kit, constructed and operative in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention in respectivepartially assembled and fully assembled operative orientations. As seenin FIG. 1A, a conventional toothbrush 10 includes a handle portion 12having formed therein a recess 14.

A set 16 of characters, such as letters, designated by reference numeral18 in FIGS. 1A and 1B, typically in the form of individual elements,such as stickers shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, is provided to enable a userto compose the user's name or other identification from the characters,by placing the characters in a desired order, side-by-side in the recess14, as seen in FIG. 1A. A transparent cover 20 is preferably provided toretain the characters in the order designated by the user and to allowthem to be readily viewed, as seen in FIG. 1B, thus providing anindividualized toothbrush 22. [0161 It is appreciated that in theembodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B any symbols may be used to defineidentification, such as numbers, icons, characters and letters, asillustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A and 2B, which illustrate anindividualized toothbrush assembly, constructed and operative inaccordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention inrespective dis-assembled and assembled operative orientations. In thisembodiment, a conventional electronic display 30, such as a LCD display,is provided on a removable and replaceable end portion 32 of atoothbrush 34. The conventional electronic display 30 preferablycomprises one or more control buttons 36 as well as a power source, suchas a miniature battery (not shown) and electronic circuitry (not shown)which enables a user to compose the user's name or other identificationand to cause it to appear on the display in an entirely conventionalmanner, as is well known in the art.

It is appreciated that in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B any symbolsmay be used to define identification, such as numbers, icons, charactersand letters.

FIG. 2A shows the end portion 32 separate from the remainder oftoothbrush 34, and FIG. 2B shows the toothbrush 34, having the endportion 32 attached thereto, as by means of a snap fastener 38, shown inFIG. 2A.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3A and 3B, which illustrate anindividualized toothbrush assembly, constructed and operative inaccordance with still another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention in respective dis-assembled and assembled operativeorientations. In this embodiment, a conventional electronic display 40,such as a LCD display, is provided on a removable and replaceable handleportion 42 of a toothbrush 44. The conventional electronic display 40preferably comprises one or more control buttons 46 as well as a powersource, such as a miniature battery (not shown) and electronic circuitry(not shown) which enables a user to compose the user's name or otheridentification, and to cause it to appear on the display 40 in anentirely conventional manner, as is well known in the art.

It is appreciated that in the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B any symbolsmay be used to define identification, such as numbers, icons, charactersand letters.

FIG. 3A shows the handle portion 42 separate from the remainder oftoothbrush 44, and FIG. 3B shows the toothbrush 44, having the handleportion 42 attached thereto, as by means of a snap fastener 48, shown inFIG. 3A.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which illustrates an individualizedtoothbrush constructed and operative in accordance with yet anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, aconventional electronic display 50, such as a LCD display, is providedon a handle portion 52 of a toothbrush 54. The conventional electronicdisplay 50 preferably comprises one or more control buttons 56 as wellas a power source, such as a miniature battery (not shown) andelectronic circuitry (not shown) which enables a user to compose theuser's name or other identification and to cause it to appear on thedisplay in an entirely conventional manner, as is well known in the art.

It is appreciated that in the embodiment of FIG. 4 any symbols may beused to define identification, such as numbers, icons, characters andletters.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which illustrates an individualizedtoothbrush constructed and operative in accordance with a still furtherpreferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, aconventional electronic display 60, such as a LCD display, is providedon a handle portion 62 of a battery operated toothbrush 64. Theconventional electronic display 60 preferably comprises one or morecontrol buttons 66 as well as a power source, such as a miniaturebattery (not shown) and electronic circuitry (not shown) which enables auser to compose the user's name or other identification, and to cause itto appear on the display in an entirely conventional manner, as is wellknown in the art.

It is appreciated that in the embodiment of FIG. 5 any symbols may beused to define identification, such as numbers, icons, characters andletters.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited to what has been particularly shown anddescribed hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present inventionincludes both combinations and subcombinations of various featuresdescribed hereinabove as well as modifications thereof which would occurto persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing specificationand which are not in the prior art.

1. An individualized toothbrush comprising: a brush portion; a handleportion; and a display formed on said handle portion.
 2. Anindividualized toothbrush according to claim 1 and wherein said displaydisplays characters.
 3. An individualized toothbrush according to claim2 and wherein said characters are displayed so as to defineidentification.
 4. An individualized toothbrush according to claim 3 andwherein said identification is a name.
 5. An individualized toothbrushaccording to claim 1 and wherein said display is an electronic display.6. An individualized toothbrush according to claim 2 and wherein saidhandle portion has a recess formed within and said characters aredisplayed in said recess.
 7. An individualized toothbrush according toclaim 1 and wherein said display includes at least one control button.8. An individualized toothbrush according to claim 1 and wherein saidhandle portion is a removable handle portion.
 9. An individualizedtoothbrush according to claim 8 and wherein said toothbrush comprises asnap fastener to interconnect said removable handle portion to saidtoothbrush.